Miraculous Friends (working title)
by SelkiePrincette
Summary: Chat Noir and Marinette become the best of friends. They coach each other into asking out their crushes. But when gushing about it to each other afterwords, will they realize that they went on the same date?
1. Prologue

Author's note: Hi all, this is my first fan-fiction! I apologize if it's terrible. Thanks for checking it out!

* * *

 **Prologue**

It started about a month ago.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

With a flash of red, the city of Paris returned to its unaltered self. It was pretty late into the night and those affected by the most resent akuma attack quickly made their ways back home and into bed.

"Pound it!" Chat Noir and Ladybug chanted in unison, bumping their fists together.

"I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep right after a fight like that." Ladybug said to her feline companion. "Too much adrenaline pumping through me, I guess." She joked.

"You know," said Chat Noir, doing his best to look alluring, "If you're not tired, perhaps we should spend some time together. Without all of this…" Chat gestured into the general direction of the most recent akuma victim.

They heard a faint, "Hey!" from, coincidently, the same direction, but paid it no mind.

Ladybug's earing beeped. "Sorry Chat." She teased, "It seems like we'll have to cut those plans short. I'll see you next time." With that she darted off away from him and yo-yoed out of sight.

Chat sighed. As much as he loved Ladybug, their relationship was strictly professional. He wished that they could just spend some time hanging out, but they only seemed to be together during akuma attacks. And one, though usually both, of them had to disappear right after to prevent the exposing of their secret identities. He wondered what she was like outside of this. She was so brave and strong, and resourceful, and responsible, and level headed and… the list went on. But what about when she didn't have to be those things? What about when she wasn't defending Paris? What were her hobbies? Where did she like to eat? Chat made his way home along the rooftops of Paris wondering about these things, hoping that he wasn't driving himself mad. _What if the reason she won't open up to me is because she just isn't interested in me?_ He thought mournfully. _What if our relationship is exclusively professional because that's all she wants it to be?_ Thoughts like this caused his chest to ache.

Movement below snapped him out of his sorrow. A girl with dark hair was crossing the Pont des Arts Bridge. She looked so young. _What is she doing out so late?_ Chat wondered. He launched himself over her head and landed a few yards in front of her. She looked surprised but not startled. Upon closer inspection, Chat discovered that it was his classmate Marinette. _She's a long way from home._ He observed. _She shouldn't be out here by herself._

"Chat Noir," She said, "What are you doing out here?" She blinked at him with her large blue eyes. Chat couldn't help but admire how her hair gleamed by the light of the moon.

"Me?" he asked dramatically. "I'm protecting Paris. I'm _supposed_ to be out here! The real question is, Princess, what are _you_ doing out here?"

Marinette racked her brain for a good excuse but couldn't think of one. Chat's glowing eyes watched her intensely. "W-well…" she stammered, "I… couldn't sleep!" she declared. "So I went for a walk! A walk around Paris at night. I mean it's so beautiful out." She gestured to the Seine River below which shimmered in the light of the moon and street lights. "How could I not?" She felt like her lie was obvious. In fact she was convinced that Chat had not taken the bait. _Oh no,_ She thought, _I need to think of a new excuse quick, otherwise-_

"Marinette." Chat said, in one of his rare serious tones, "It's really dangerous to be out here by yourself. Let me take you home, okay?"

Marinette visibly deflated. He believed her. Part of Marinette knew that it was impossible for them to keep their identities secret from each other forever, but that didn't mean that she was ready to expose herself right now. Chat admired Ladybug, but would he still if he found out that she was just plain old Marinette? _I_ am _Ladybug,_ she reminded herself, _Mask or not. I know he wouldn't think less of me, but still… maybe I'm not ready to reveal this secret quite yet._ Marinette became aware that Chat was waiting for an answer, even though she suspected that he'd insist on taking her home whether she agreed to it or not. "I'm guessing that you won't take no for an answer?" she teased him.

"Well it is my job to protect the citizens of Paris. If they want be to or not." He agreed. "But I'd really prefer some cooperation on this."

Marinette nodded. "Alright Chaton, let's go then." Relief became visible on his face, making Marinette smile to herself. He really was a good guy, making sure that she was safe. He'd only met her once or twice, but he still obviously cared about her. Warm feelings of affection rose in her chest. He might have looked up to ladybug, but did he know that she looked up to him too?

"May I?" He asked, holding out his arms.

"If you must." She sighed playfully.

With that he scooped her up into his arms. She was heavier than she looked. Unknown to Chat, this was because, despite being thin, she was very muscular. Fighting crime was an incredibly effective way to build muscle. Regardless of this, he carried her with ease. She, after all, wasn't the only one who had become much stronger after adopting the vigilante lifestyle. She wrapped her arms firmly around his neck as he launched them into the cool Parisian air.

Within ten minutes they arrived on her balcony. He let her down gently as she loosened her grip on him. "Do you still feel wide awake?" He asked her, teasing.

"Oh no, Chat Noir." She said sarcastically. "I will totally be ready to sleep after a superhero scooped me up and leaped across Paris with me in his arms." He grinned at her. She grinned back. She liked this. Hanging out with him, without the pressure of immediate peril. She wished Chat and Ladybug could spend more time together. But she also felt that being Ladybug was a huge responsibility, and she couldn't take that lightly. But that didn't mean that Marinette couldn't hang out with Chat. The idea formed a huge delighted smile on her face. With sparkling blue bell eyes she asked, "Chat, would you like to come inside?"

And really, how could he say no?


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

Ever since then, Chat would come over to Marinette's every few nights. They had a lot of fun together. It was a dream come true for Adrien, who wasn't really allowed to spend a lot of time hanging out with his friends. And it was a dream come true for Marinette, who wanted to get to know her partner better without interfering with the responsibility of being Ladybug. They would never admit it to Nino or Alya respectively, but they were quickly becoming the other's best friend.

Whenever they hung out, Marinette would sneak down to the bakery and bring up some delicious snacks. Chat made a note to buy more things from the Dupain-Cheng bakery every now and again as Adrien, because everything that he had eaten had been incredibly mouthwatering. They would take turns picking movies to watch or video games to play. Sometimes they would just make pillow forts and chit chat until the wee hours of the morning. And sometimes Chat would even help Marinette work on her new designs.

Marinette was surprisingly skilled at pillow forts. She was very good at turning seemingly random items into helpful tools. It wasn't dissimilar from Ladybug's lucky charm, when Chat thought about it. He wondered if it was a girl thing.

Likewise, Chat was surprisingly good at critiquing Marinette's fashion deigns. He had a fairly deep arsenal of knowledge about high fashion, though he never mentioned being interested in the field. Marinette wondered how he knew so much about it. She wondered if it had something to do with his heightened cat vision.

After a while of hanging out, Marinette stopped wearing her fashionable street clothes and instead started wearing her comfy relaxation clothing. Chat was honestly pleased that she was comfortable enough around him to wear things like her pajamas or one of her dad's old hoodies. He admitted to himself that it was kind of cute to see her little head and legs poking out of a Tom Dupain sized article of clothing.

"No fair!" Chat pouted one night, watching Marinette snuggle up in a warm pair of felt pajamas. "How come you get to put on comfy outfits while I have to wear a leather suit all the time?"

Marinette laughed at him. "Sorry Mr. Secret Identity, who knew that the real cost of being a super hero isn't putting your life at risk, it's actually not being able to wear baggy clothes."

"Oh yeah?" he said, "Well do you know what the downside of not wearing a one piece leather jumpsuit is?" He asked.

"No," Marinette said cockily, "I guess I don-"

Before she got a chance to finish, Chat pounced on her, pinning her to her chaise lounge.

"Chat, what are you-!"

A scream of a giggle escaped her lips as he pulled up the edges of her shirt and began to assault her sides with tickles.

"Oh my god- Chat! Stop!" she shrieked between fits of giggles. Thankfully her parents where both heavy sleepers.

"Dang Marinette!" Chat said, unleashing an unrelenting wave of tickles on the six pack that hid underneath her shirt, "Gurl, you swole!"

"Chat! I'm warning you! Stop it right now!"

"Or what" he teased pushing on without mercy.

Before she got a chance to answer, she involuntarily punched at him in self-defense. The blow landed squarely on his nose, shortly followed by a gush of blood.

"Holy shit, Marinette, those muscles aren't just for show are they?" He asked, clutching his nose.

"Oh my gosh, Chat!" she panted, trying to catch her breath while clutching her sides, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." He said nasally, reaching for a box of tissues on her desk, "It's just a nose bleed."

"Oh," she said, sounding relieved, "Well, to be fair, I warned you!"

"Well to be fair you're not wearing an armored jump suit so I think it's fair to say that this is on both of us" he said in a mocking tone.

They teased each other until Marinette fell asleep. Chat carried her up to her bed and set her down gently. "Good night, you little savage." He whispered to her, smiling to himself. He crawled out of her balcony and made his way back home to get some sleep of his own.

At school the next day, Marinette couldn't help but notice that Adrien had the shadow of a bruise across the bridge of his nose when he greeted her. Adrien had been paying a lot more attention to her than usual. He'd greet her every day, turn to include her and Alya in his and Nino's conversations, he'd even stopped in at the bakery a few times for lunch. She wasn't sure why, but she certainly didn't mind it. "Oh, Adrien," She said, looking concerned, "What happened to your nose? Are you okay?"

Adrien did his best to hide his grin. "Oh, um, yeah! I'm fine. I just um… tripped last night." He sighed, "I was hoping that it wasn't too noticeable, my dad's going to kill me if it doesn't go away by my photoshoot tomorrow…"

A loud gasp from across the courtyard caused them both to turn around just in time to see something yellow, barreling towards them. Instinctively, they both braced themselves for impact, but sadly it was too late for Marinette, who was knocked to the ground by a frantic Chloe. "Adrikins!" She shrieked, "What happened to your perfect face? Did your father see it yet? What happened? Did somebody touch my Adrikins! I swear I will have my Daddy lock. Them. In. Jail!" Adrien, though bewildered, appreciated the concern Chloe showed for him. She was his oldest friend after all, even if he didn't approve of the way she treated others. Marinette, who picked herself up off the ground, fuming, did not feel the same way. He shot her an apologetic look over his shoulder and Chloe dragged him off to her locker saying, "Don't worry Adrikins, a little bit of concealer and foundation will cover that nasty bruise right up and your dad will never know…" Adrien had to admit, he liked having a friend who understood his home situation. Whenever he talked about his dad to Nino or anyone else they all became really concerned for his wellbeing. No one acknowledged the true relationship he had with his father the way Chloe did. He actively wished that the two of them would become good friends again, but for that to happen, Chloe would have to stop being such a brat to his other friends first. However, that was a conversation that often fell on deaf ears.

After Chloe expertly applied makeup to his nose, they got settled in to their seats in class. It wasn't long into the particularly dull lecture on French Literature before screams were heard from the street.

Adrien and Marinette where the first to jump up out of their seats to look out the window into the court yard. They both let out a groan when they saw the most recent regularly scheduled akumatized victim come prancing down the street, followed by an explosion of flora. "Oh Chloe~!" she sang, "Chloe Bourgrois where are you~?"

"Of course." Marinette and Adrien sighed in unison.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

"Chloe, you have to get out of here!" yelled Marinette.

"Hide yourself somewhere safe!" yelled Adrien.

"What's the big deal?" Shrugged Chloe, "Ladybug and her sidekick Chat Noir will be here to save me soon."

"He's not her side kick!" They yelled in unison.

Blushing and stumbling over her words Marinette said, "C-Chat Noir is a great hero, Ladybug and him are a team! She couldn't save anyone without him."

Chloe looked unphased, "Yeah, I doubt that." she said, looking at her nails casually.

Marinette was beginning to wonder why she didn't just let an akuma get Chloe once and for all, when a thick vine smashed through the window, sending bits of glass everywhere. "I'm Nightshade!" Announced the akumatized citizen, walking along the top of the vine into the classroom. "And I'm here for Chloe!" This particular foe was strangely beautiful. Her outfit looked very much like a purple Nightshade flower. (Marinette made a note to invest some time into designing dresses to look like flowers.)

Marinette and Adrien both used the chaos as an opportunity to slip out and transform. By the time they returned to the room as Chat Noir and Ladybug, Nightshade had a vine wrapped around Chloe and was lowering her into the mouth a giant Venus Fly trap. "You'll never get anyone, florist or otherwise, fired in this town again Chloe!" Shirked hawkmoth's latest puppet with delight.

"I hope catnip is part of your repertoire" Called Chat as Ladybug wrapped her yoyo around the gaping mouth of the Venus Fly Trap, clamping it shut.

"See! I said Ladybug and her sidekick would get here to save me." Said Chloe smugly.

"Chat Noir is nobody's sidekick!" They yelled at her, both fuming.

"See Chloe?" sang Nightshade, "Not even your heroes want to save you, thanks to that attitude of yours." A purple mask outlined Nightshade's face as Hawkmoth communicated with her. She turned to Ladybug and Chat Noir, letting the vine that entangled Cloe drop limply to the floor without loosening its hold. "So since you don't actually want to save this pathetic brat's life, why don't you just give me your miraculouses now, since you won't be needing them?"

"Sorry, Nightshade," Ladybug stated confidently, "But we don't give up on saving lives, no matter how bratty."

Chloe made an indignant Humf sound, and pouted her lip.

Ladybug and Chat Noir sprang into action. Chat used Cataclysm to rot away the vine that ensnared Chloe, who, finally, ran to a safer location. Ladybug used lucky charm to summon a child's slingshot. "What the heck am I supposed to do with this?" She asked. She and Chat regrouped behind a desk, to discover than none other than Alya was also hiding behind it, filming the whole thing. "Alya!" whispered Ladybug urgently, as Nightshade grew trees in the classroom, only to have them fall and smash desks at random, until she found the one they were hiding under. "You have to get out of here right now! This is not safe!"

"Oh my god!" whispered Alya back, "You know my name? She turned the camera towards her face, "You guys, Ladybug knows my name! Isn't that awesome!"

Ladybug sighed at the lost cause and turned her attention back to Nightshade who was almost done growing a tree that would presumably fall on their desk. "Come out, come out, where ever you are my little sprouts~"

"Ladybug!" Chat whispered urgently, "Her hand, she has a vase full of sunflowers!"

"Good eye, Chat!" she called back. The tree started to creek and they managed to jump out of the way, dragging Alya with them, as it came crashing down on their hiding spot.

"Timber~" sang Nightshade, "I knew you little sprouts couldn't hide forever!"

Acting fast, Chat Noir, whose ring began to beep, managed to carry a protesting Alya out of harm's way while Ladybug took the sling shot and aimed it at the glass vase in Nightshade's hand. The red pebble it came with smashed though the bottom of the vase. Amongst the shards flew out a little purple butterfly. Ladybug wasted no time catching it. "It's time to de-evilize!" She yelled, swinging her yoyo around. She then opened it and a tiny white butterfly fluttered away. "Bye bye, little butterfly." She said. Next, Ladybug threw her slingshot into the air and called out, "Miraculous Cure!" with a flash of red, the classroom and the town returned to normal.

"Pound it!" she and Chat chanted, bumping their fists together.

"That was incredible!" Called Alya from the doorway, "I can't believe I recorded all of that!"

"Ladybug!" Yelled Chloe angrily storming into the room, shoving Alya out of her way, "Where exactly do you get off calling me 'Bratty'?!"

Ladybug had had enough of Chloe's antics. "Where do _you_ get off calling, Chat Noir, the hero of Paris, a sidekick!? He's saved your life several times! Including a few minutes ago." Ladybug knelt down and helped the bewildered florist to her feet. "Actually, Chloe, come to think of it, where do you get off Akumatizing half the town?!"

"Moi?!" Chloe shrieked, looking irate. "This is not my fault! She brought me sunflowers when I wanted daffodils. What was I supposed to do, not have her fired!?"

"Actually she only specified for yellow flowers..." muttered the florist, who was still slightly bitter.

Chat Noir stepped in quickly, before the situation got out of hand. "Actually Chloe," he said, "I think that you need to reconsider your actions. You alone cause over half of the akuma attacks around Paris." Chat's ring beeped again, as did Ladybug's earrings. "Think about that next time you decide to lash out." He said, making his leave.

Ladybug followed him out, scowling.

"Oh my god" called Alya from inside the room, "I can't believe I recorded Ladybug tearing Chloe a new one! This is the best day of my life…"

"My Lady…" Cautioned Chat in the hallway.

"I know, Kitten." She sighed, "I just can't put up with that girl's bad attitude any longer. I hope what you said to her actually sinks in, because next time I might not come to her rescue."

"You don't mean that, My Lady…" said Chat, placing his hand on her shoulder. To his surprise, she pulled him into a tight hug.

"I want you to know that I don't think of you a sidekick. You are a hero. You're more heroic than me. I can't believe I started a fight with her. Again." She sighed. "I couldn't do this without you." Their miraculous beeped again. And she let go of him. "Next time?" she asked. Smiling softly.

"Next time." He agreed, blushing from the hug.

They ran off in different directions to transform back into themselves.

"Marinette…" signed Tikki, in the girl's locker room, "You know that you can't just not save someone. Not even Chloe."

"I know, Tikki, I know" She sighed, pulling a cookie out from her locker and giving it to the red Kwami.

"Plagg…" sighed Adrien in the boy's bathroom, "Ladybug hugged me!"

"I know, but more importantly, can I have some cheese now?" piped the black Kwami.

Adrien sighed and dug a wheel of Camembert out of his back pack. "Don't eat the whole thing." He cautioned.

When Adrien got back to class, Chloe sat at her seat looking both angry and defeated. Alya was showing Marinette and Nino the video of Ladybug, loudly retelling the story. Nino gestured for Adrien to come watch as well. He did so, if only to avoid suspicion. "Wow," said Marinette afterwards, "That could have gotten ugly, good thing Chat Noir was there..."

Adrien did his best to hide his blush. It was nice to know that Marinette was his friend through and through. He wondered if Ladybug was okay. He wondered if Chloe was okay. He wasn't sure if someone could be Akumatized twice. Either way, he knew that she was probably feeling rotten. To the shock of Nino, Alya, and Marinette alike, he walked over to Chloe's desk. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked her. And to the surprise of everyone, she started to sob. Adrien wasn't quite sure what to do. "Let's go somewhere else." He said to her. She nodded and stood up. He led her out into the court yard, where she could have some more privacy. Once there, she put her head on his shoulder and really started to ball.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Adrien patted her hair lightly, so not to mess it up. She didn't need to say anything, he knew what this was about. After all, he was her oldest friend. Not unlike Adrien, Chloe had a very busy father. And from a young age, she discovered that she could get his attention by demanding it and making a scene. Adrien also had tried that tactic, once. It ended with a bruised check bone. That's where their fathers differed. Adrien's father would not tolerate being made a fool of. What Chloe had yet to learn, was A) how to get the attention of others, besides her father and B) the difference between positive and negative attention.

"It's not fair! It's not fair!" She sobbed. "What am I supposed to do? I don't understand…"

Adrien brushed some tears from her face and said, "You do know what you're supposed to do, don't you? Just be kinder. If you want people to like you, you have to be pleasant to them. I know that it's hard. But Chloe, you could have so many friends if you just acted like you wanted them to be your friend. Does that make sense? I know that you know how. You're so nice to me, why not extend the feelings a little bit?"

She nodded and cried a little longer. "I think that I just want to go home now." She picked up her phone and texted her driver to come get her.

He waited with her until he arrived. "If you need someone to talk too, you can call me, okay?"

She nodded again and then got into the back of her limbo.

When Adrien made it back to class, it was clear that many of his classmates had been watching them from the windows. He wished that they hadn't, Chloe wouldn't have wanted them to know that she was feeling so vulnerable, but maybe that would be an important first step in them opening up to her.

"Adrien, please find your seat." Said Mrs. Bustier quietly. Akuma attacks were becoming a fairly regular thing at this school. And the teachers were learning how to handle them accordingly. For Mrs. Bustier, that was to run class as normal, but to be more tolerant of student behavior. It rested heavily on the minds of many teachers that being too harsh might result in yet another akuma attack.

As Adrien sat down, he got a group text from Nino.

Nino – Dude, what was that?

Adrien – She was pretty upset. Idk man. I know that she's a brat, but she's still my oldest friend, you know.

Alya – Well honestly she had it coming. She can't just be rude all he life and not expect consequences.

Adrien – Yeah, we kinda talked about that. I told her that if she wants people to like her, then she needs to start acting, you know, likable.

Nino – Too tru, dude.

The group chat was silent for a while before Marinette finally added:

Marinette – Is she okay?

Alya – Gurl, why do you care? You're one of the people she's rudest too.

Marinette – I know, but I can't help but feel kinda guilty…

Alya – about that Chat thing? No way, girl, she was way out of line.

Adrien – Alya is right. It's her own fault for acting so bratty all the time. But maybe this time it will finally sink in that she has to shape up.

After that, the four tried their hardest to pay attention to the rest of the lecture. Adrien found himself wondering if anyone had ever been akumatized out of boredom. He often found himself wondering if Ladybug and he were immune to the effects of the akuma. He was sure that they must have to be, otherwise why wouldn't hawkmoth have done it yet? Surely that would be an easier way to get their miraculouses than akumatizing others in attempt to get them. Come to think of it, why did hawkmoth want their miraculouses in the first place? For power? Power to do what exactly? Which made him wonder again about being akumatized twice. It hadn't happened yet before, but that didn't mean that it wasn't possible.

"Dude!" Adrien snapped out of his pondering when he realized that Nino had been talking to him.

"What was that Nino? Sorry, I wasn't really paying attention…" Adrien said.

"Hey man it's all good, French Literature makes me space out too." Nino put a hand on Adrien's shoulder and gave a knowing nod. "So, anyways, dude, do you want to go to lunch with us?" Nino gestured with his thumb to include that "us" was himself, Alya, and Marinette.

"My parents offered to make lunch for us after they heard about the akuma attack." Marinette piped up, "They wanted to make sure that we were all okay."

Adrien was touched that her parents had considered him as part of her friend group. Then again he did remember them saying something about Marinette mentioning him often. "That sounds fantastic." Adrien said with a warm smile that gave Marinette goose bumps. "I love your parents cooking." He shot the gorilla a quick text message to let him know that he wouldn't be coming home for lunch as they walked over to Marinette's.

Tom and Sabine greeted them warmly and hugged all of them. "We saw that flower lady coming down the street, and you can just imagine our reaction when she punched a whole right through your school!" Tom said with a mighty laugh.

"We were so worried!" Said Sabine, "Thank goodness for Ladybug and Chat Noir! Those two are getting pretty fast these days." She winked at Marinette and Adrien. Neither could decipher the meaning behind the wink, but it was this: Sabine knew her daughter very well, she loved her with all of her heart, and she'd recognize her anywhere, even if part of her face was hidden with a mask. And she was so, so proud of her and her friend.

Tom and Sabine had made a few large quiches for the six of them to share. It was an experimental recipe of Tom's. He said that if they liked it enough, that he'd start selling it in the bakery. They all agreed that it was delicious. They sat around and ate, drank, laughed, retold the story, Alya insisted that they watch the video she took. Sabine's eyes shone with a secret pride. But she told Alya that she agreed with Ladybug that it wasn't safe for her to be so close to the action. To which Alya said, "Come on Momma Cheng! I was with _Ladybug. The_ Ladybug! That's the safest place I could possibly be!"

"I don't know Alya," said Tom, whom Marinette had inherited her obliviousness from, "Whatever kinda mystical space alien Ladybug is, I doubt that even she can be everywhere at once."

Adrien laughed loudly at that, "Space alien?" He asked Tom, "You're joking?"

Tom laughed with him, "Well how else do you explain it then mister?" he asked. "Do you know something that I don't?"

Adrien reddened, "Well... I... um... No. I guess I don't…" he said. _Real smooth_ , he thought.

They talked and laughed some more until eventually it was time for them to head back to class. The four teenagers went back to school feeling full and with their spirits lifted.

.


	5. Chapter Four

Author's Note: Thanks for the support everyone! Here's the next chapter (in which I give Adrien undiagnosed anxiety because I'm a selfish human being.) Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

That night Adrien couldn't sleep. He was worried about Chloe. He'd thought about texting her, but decided that she probably needed her space. If she wanted to talk to him, she would have by now. He paced around the room a few times. Then a few more. His breathing was slowly becoming more and more rapid. Then finally Plagg spoke up, "Will you stop that? You're making me dizzy. Why don't we go visit Marinette to get your mind off of it, already?"

"I thought you didn't like transforming very much." Adrien smirked.

"Well it sure beats watching you give yourself an anxiety attack." Plagg said. "Also Marinette smells great. And let's be honest, that's what really matters in a person. Chloe's perfume, for example, makes my nose itch."

Adrien had to admit that visiting Marinette would certainly calm his nerves. He nodded at Plagg. "Okay, that's actually not a bad idea. Claws Out!"

With a flash of green Adrien transformed into Chat Noir. Usually this helped erase some of his uneasiness. Chat Noir did not have the same issues that Adrien did. Chat Noir wasn't concerned about making friends, passing classes, maintaining a schedule, or pleasing Gabriel Agreste. However, it didn't help this time. Chat Noir was still concerned about the well-being of Chloe. Doubt sank through him as he stood there, not feeling better. It took all he had not to start pacing again.

In the past, Plagg had suggested that Adrien start taking some kind of anti-anxiety medication, after they had gotten to know each other better. But Adrien couldn't bring himself to ask his father if he thought that was a good idea. He knew it would disappoint Gabriel to know that his son was anything less than perfect. So Adrien kept his struggle to himself. He did his best to hide it. The physical activity of being Chat Noir also seemed to help take the edge off in a way that fencing couldn't. (Probably because he also fenced to please his father.) For Adrien, Chat Noir was freedom. Freedom from being Adrien. He wondered if Ladybug felt the same way.

He gave himself a shake. _Dwelling on it isn't helping, let's get out of here._ Chat Noir launched himself out of the window and into the cool night. He felt the tension in his shoulder loosen as he ran along roof tops and launched himself with his staff. A small smile spread to his lips as the night air blew through his hair. By the time he reached Marinette's balcony, he was already feeling a lot better.

He knocked lightly on the trap door to her bedroom, so not to wake her if she was sleeping. She wasn't. It didn't take long for Marinette to poke her head out of the little door. "I'm glad that you're here!" she said, flashing him that trademarked Marinette smile of hers. "I made a very comfy little blanket nest and I popped some popcorn! Let's watch some Disney movies!"

He smiled down at her. "That sounds purrrfect." He said. And followed her into her pink bedroom.

They sat closely together in Marinette's blanket nest and watched a few nostalgic Disney classics. Chat couldn't help but to notice that Plagg was right; Marinette did smell great. She smelled like a mixture of freshly baked bread and clean laundry. The scent somehow reminded him of springtime, and of something, or maybe someone, else that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He found himself wondering if she would ever be this close to Adrien. He really hoped so. Even if Adrien didn't have the time in his schedule nor the approval of his father to spend hours just hanging out with friends like this, he still would have liked to have been able to talk to Marinette a little bit more about himself. She had been to open to him, and Chat could only give away so much without revealing too much about his identity. That was something he really liked about their friendship, he didn't feel any pressure to tell Marinette his identity. She never asked him about it. And when she did ask personal questions, she always followed them up by saying something like, "That is if you don't mind telling me! It's okay if it's too personal or anything like that." It wasn't that he didn't want her to know, but he and Ladybug had agreed that no one should. He didn't want to break her trust _. And also,_ he thought, blushing a little, _I want Ladybug to be the first one to know my identity. If we ever get to that point._

Marinette looked over and saw Chat's faint blush. "Wow, Chat, I had no idea you were such a romantic underneath all of that flirting." She teased.

He blinked at her in surprise, "W-what do you mean, Mari?" his face grew several shades redder.

She grinned and gestured to the screen, on which the prince and princess of the film were kissing at their wedding. "You can't hid your feelings from me Chat Noir!" she said triumphantly, "You're a total sap!"

Chat laughed, "Oh yes," he said, "A total romantic." He was relieved that she hadn't actually seen through him. "That's why I'm sitting on the floor with my best friend watching kids' movies rather than being out their making a grand display of my affections to the woman I love."

Marinette blushed slightly, "Am I your best friend, Chat? Do you mean it?" She looked up at his with those giant eyes of hers. Eyes no human could possibly say no to.

"Well duh." He said grinning, "Why do you think I'm always over here? It's not just for the snacks, Mari." She laughed a little and punched him in the arm. "What?" said Chat dramatically, "That's it? No 'Oh, Chat, you're my best friend too'? Gosh Mari…" He faked a pained expression.

She turned her head way from him and muttered something under her breath.

"What was that?" He asked, leaning in and grinning.

"Chatyou'reprobablymybestfriend" She muttered slightly louder.

"One more time?" He asked, cupping a hand on his ear and leaning in so close that he was practically in her lap.

She made an angry sounding sigh, "Chat," she said, "You're one of my best friends." Without moving any further away he flashed a huge, genuine smile at her. She put her hand over his face and pushed him away. "You dork!"

He crawled back over to her and rubbed up on her side like a cat, "But I'm _your_ dork!" She rolled her eyes at him. "And now that we're officially BFFs we can make friendship bracelets and gossip and paint each other's nails…" He teased her, "I mean if you thought we were having fun before, just wait!"

"Speaking of gossip," she said, making mischievous eyes at him, "Did you say that there was a woman you loved?"

Chat stopped dead in his tracks. Mari's eyes gleamed with triumph. She had got him. "Well… I mean… I suppose… one could say that…" he struggled to say. "I mean it's not like its official or anything!" He back tracked, "I'm pretty sure she doesn't really see me in a romantic light."

Marinette patted his hand comfortingly. "Yeah," she sighed, "I can relate to that."

"For real?" Chat asked, perking up, "That's really surprising to me."

"It is?" Marinette asked, playing with one of her pigtails self-consciously, "Why do you say that?"

"Uh duh, Marinette," He said, "You're freaking cute! And you smell nice. Also you have a six pack! I'm sure a ton of guys… and girls… and other people" He added, trying not making any assumptions, "are totally into you!" Actually it was well known to Chat that Marinette was considered very likeable. His other best friend Nino certainly had quite the crush on her for a while. Nathanaël liked her so much that he became akumatized over it. And he was also pretty sure that Sabrina had a little crush on her for a little bit as well.

Marinette blushed a little, "Haha, thanks for saying so. If only he saw me that way…" she sighed. She had already decided that she didn't want Chat to know who "He" was. She had taken all her pictures of Adrien down that first night to keep him from finding out. What if he knew Adrien outside of being Chat Noir and spilled the beans? Marinette would die of embarrassment.

"Well if he doesn't see how great you are, then he's really stupid." Chat said, unknowingly insulting himself. "Because a ton of people would _love_ to have a chance with you. And you shouldn't waste your time with someone who wouldn't."

"It sounds like you should take your own advice." She teased, "Does this 'woman' know how great _you_ are?"

"Um obviously." He said looking smug, "I'm a super hero, Marinette. Of course she thinks that I'm great. I'm just not sure if she can see past the super hero part. You know?"

"So why don't you try and talk to her when you're not being a super hero?" she asked.

"What?" Chat asked, "Marinette, if I can't get this girls attention as a super hero, how am I supposed to do it as… well as, just plain old A… just my plain old self?" He asked.

"Chat," she smiled at him, "With or without the mask, you're still the same amazing guy. Maybe she's just a little intimidated by you being a super hero, did you think of that?"

He hadn't thought of that. Clearly Ladybug wouldn't be intimidated by his hero status, but it was probably getting in the way of them furthering their relationship. They needed to be a professional team. Maybe she just didn't want to risk it. But what if he asked her out as Adrien? Would she still turn him down? They had met a few times before. Maybe it was worth the shot. He kissed Marinette on the cheek. "Mari, you're a genius!"

"Yeah." She said, holding the spot on her cheek, "I guess you could say that I'm pretty… _Miraculous_."

Chat snorted at her and pushed her away from him. "You dork!" He accused.

She flopped down and put her head in his lap, "But I'm _your_ dork!"


	6. Chapter Five

Author's note: I know It's been a while since my last update, and I'm really sorry about that. Thank you all of the continuous support! I couldn't do it without you. Also, please forgive my rampant typos! I try so hard to find them all and I am so bad at it... and so without further ado...

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

The next morning, Adrien awoke to a strange weight on his chest and a familiar smell in his nose. He opened his eyes once, though his vision was blurry from sleep, he could tell that there was someone with long blonde hair over him. "Mom?" he asked the blurry shape. The shape giggled in a way that was very unlike his mother's giggle. He blinked a few more times, waiting for his eyes to focus. Chloe's face grinned at him. She had a white mask over her eyes with tiny red hearts scattered across it. _She's been Akumatized!_ He sat up quickly. His eyes darted around trying to find Plagg.

"Careful, silly." Said Chloe in a sickeningly sweet voice, "You almost knocked me over." She sat perched at the foot of his bed. Her skin tight jumpsuit matched her mask: white with red hearts. On her head was a head band with two heart shaped antenna. A silver mirror rested in her hand.

"Chloe," Adrien said carefully, knowing that further upsetting her would not be in his best interest. "What are you doing here?" He did his best to phrase the last part in a non-accusatory manner.

She pursed her lips, "It's Love Bug now." She got up off of his bed and walked over to the window. She opened the blinds. "I came to show you this!" Adrien hesitantly got up to see what she was talking about. As he approached the window, he could see a crowd gathering around the outside of the front gates of his home. They didn't look angry like the typical henchmen an akumatized victim would normally create. In fact, they seemed to all be laughing or cheering. Adrien could hear them chanting something. He pressed his ear to the glass, they were chanting "We love Love Bug! We love Love Bug!" over and over again. Chloe, or rather Love Bug, waved at them, and the crowd roared back. "See Adrikins?" she asked with a wide grin, "Aren't you proud of me? Look at all the friends I made! Everyone loves me."

He backed away from her slowly. "Chloe- I mean Love Bug- this isn't what I meant! This isn't how you should be making friends."

Her face turned dark. "I thought you'd be happy for me…"

This was starting to get dangerous. He hopped Ladybug would get here soon. "Chloe, I _would_ be happy for you if you had made real friends. Not henchmen who _have_ to love you!" he said, "I know that you're upset! But this isn't going to make you feel any better!"

"I guess only my real friends would understand." She said darkly. She raised the mirror in her hand. Adrien managed to tumble out of the way as a ray of white light shot out of its reflective surface, leaving a heart shaped scorch mark in the wall behind where he was standing.

 _Shit, shit, shit!_ Adrien dropped into a roll and took cover on the other side of his sofa. A few more scorching rays of light shot dangerously close to him as he did so. He was trapped. Unable to transform and at a disadvantage. His panicked brain bounced back and forth from idea to idea of how to stop her. "Friends don't hide from each other, Adrien!" said Love Bug sternly as she vaulted herself over the couch. Nothing stood in between Adrien and the mirror now.

"You don't have to do this!" He yelled, "We're already friends!"

"Well maybe it's time you started acting like it!" she snarled, raising the mirror. Adrien bit his lip and braced himself for the worst. A red yoyo wrapped itself around one of Love Bug's legs and tugged. The mirror fired and shot just over Adrien's head, it's aim thrown off by Love Bug's fall. She hit the ground hard.

"Ladybug!" called Adrien and Love Bug in unison, one with relief and the other with malice. In her red glory, Ladybug stood in the window, with the city of Paris behind her. A blush prickled Adrien's Cheeks. Love Bug got up and charged Ladybug. However, before she could reach her, Ladybug, holding Adrien tightly, swung out of the window and onto the Agreste Mansion roof. "Ladybug!" Screamed a furious imposture from below them.

Landing safely above, the two released each other. "You really saved me back there." Adrien said, blushing slightly, "One second later and I would have been toast." Adrien thought back to the scorch marks decorating his room. "Literally." He added.

Ladybug looked flustered. "Well... I... um... It was nothing!" She stammered. "It's my job to save people, you don't have to thank me…"

"Ladybug," Adrien started, reaching for her hand, "I wanted to say…"

She bit her bottom lip regretfully, "Adrien," His name on her lips sent chills down his spine, "I have to go take care of this. Please stay here. Please stay safe. Okay? I'll come get you when this is all over"

Adrien nodded, though he wasn't intending to do either of those things. She smiled at him, with sparkling blue bell eyes. And then jumped out off of the roof and out of his sight.

He stood there, letting his feelings of longing wash over him for a few moments. _How am I going to get down from here?_ Adrien's mind snapped into focus with the sudden realization that Plagg was still in his room. A cool autumn breeze blew over his bare skin giving him goose bumps. Adrien looked down at his chest. Normally, last night included, Adrien slept shirtless with loose fitting pajama bottoms. "OH MY GODDDDD" Adrien cried. _Ladybug saw me shirtless. My pants are literally hanging sooo low right now. Shit. Chloe saw me shirtless. Well at least she won't remember that part. But oh my goddd Ladybug saw me shirtless. And I wasn't airbrushed or anything like in photo shoots. Just my bare ass chest…_ "Fuck" he whined. Pacing around the roof. _Now I'm stuck up here. Chat Noir can't help. It's really cold. And Ladybug saw me without a shirt…_

Meanwhile in Adrien's room, Ladybug was having a harder time with Love Bug than she previously imagined. As she'd witnessed on her way over to the Agreste Mansion, a direct hit from the rays of the mirror would turn someone into a Love Bug worshipper, but as Ladybug was learning, an indirect hit or graze caused a painful burn. Her face and arms were quickly gaining more and more scorch marks. Love Bug's attacks were unrelenting. _I need a plan._ She thought _. It's not going to be long before she gets a solid hit in…_ Ladybug let out a shriek as a white hot beam of light grazed across the back of her thigh. She stole a glance out the window at the crowd gathering below. She searched for a familiar messy blonde haircut, in the few seconds she had before she needed to move again. _Don't let him be down there._ She pleaded. _I need him. Chat Noir… Where are you?_

Meanwhile on top of the mansion, a bare chested Adrien was attempting to shimmy down the slopped sides of his roof. He moved slowly and awkwardly, hoping not to fall. Even his catlike reflexes wouldn't be able to save him then. A familiar voice spoke close to his ear. "That looks dangerous. You could have just waited for me, you know!"

"Plagg!" Adrien cried with joy, "Plagg I'm so happy to see you! My Lady needs us!"

Plagg yawned. "I'm sure she'll be fine for a few more minutes. I'm not quite done catching up on my beauty slee-"

"Plagg! Claws out!" Called Adrien, cutting off the Kwami's thoughts.

Moments later, Chat Noir came swooping into the bedroom window. The sight that met him was unsettling. Scorch marks covered the room. His furniture was in disarray. His book shelfs were beginning to catch fire in a few places. But most disturbing to him was Ladybug. She was covered head to toe in scorch marks. Her suit singed away in places to reveal raw pink skin underneath. She was in bad shape.

Love Bug raised her mirror to fire at Ladybug once more, but Chat Noir knocked her away savagely with his staff. "How dare you harm My Lady!" He hissed.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug called out with exhaustion and joy, "I was so worried…"

He stepped in front of her protectively, fighting back a snarl. "My Lady, you're hurt! I'm so sorry! I should have been here sooner…" He continued to swipe at Love Bug, keeping her rein of burns at bay.

"I'm just happy that you're alright, Chat!" She said, "I was worried that she had gotten you. Listen, keep her distracted for me, alright?" Chat gave a stiff nod as he swiped Love Bugs feet out from under her again. Ladybug ducked between Adrien's skateboard ramps and Chat pushed Love Bug back towards his arcade games with his staff. "Lucky Charm!" Ladybug yelled. "Tin Foil? What the heck am I supposed to do with th- OH!" She jumped out from her hiding place and charged into the fray. She held out a long section of the foil in front of her. "Love Bug!" She yelled, "Try and hit me now!"

Chat Noir whipped around, he wasn't about to let Ladybug get hurt any more than she already had been. In his carelessness, he gave Love Bug the opportunity to strike him solidly in the back. At first, the heat of the blow was unbearable, and he fell to his knees. How had his lady taken so many hits? She was so strong… Pain and thoughts fled from him and he watched through blurred vision as Ladybug deflected a blow with the reflective foil. The light flashed back and struck Love Bugs arm. She screamed and dropped the mirror. His vision was losing color... it was becoming positively... pink. He could only see pink. And he could only see Love Bug. His eyes couldn't focus on anything else. "Love… Bug?" he asked, watching his beloved friend fall to the ground. A blurry figure stomped angrily on Love Bug's beautiful silver mirror. "Hey! That's Love Bugs!" he called. "I love her…" He muttered. His stunning friend Love Bug smiled at him regretfully before getting up and running. She'd known that she'd lost. She didn't feel like sticking around to see the smug look on Ladybug's face when it was all over.

Ladybug honestly couldn't care less. The Akuma fluttered around the room helplessly, and that was all that mattered. She wasted little time ensnaring it with her yoyo. "Time to de-evilize!" she called. She released the butterfly without a goodbye. Chat Noir laid on the ground next to her. He was unable to do a celebratory "Pound it". She knelt down next to him and brushed his hair out of his face.

"Where's Love Bug?" He asked her.

Ladybug's lower lip trembled. Her whole body ached from exertion and stung with burns. But what set her over was seeing Chat Noir brain washed again. He was so good at protecting her, and she so bad at protecting him. "I'm sorry." She whispered hoarsely. "I'll fix this…" She placed a kiss on his forehead and then threw the foil into the air, "Miraculous Cure!" she yelled.


	7. Chapter Six

Author's note: In this chapter, I officially broke 10k words. So this is easily the longest thing I've very written, ever, like in my whole life, if you can believe that. At some point I promise to go back (with the help of someone significantly more literate than I) and fix all of the typos that I missed, thank you for being patient with me.

Thank you everyone for you favorites, follows, and reviews! They all mean so much to me! And so, if you can stand more of this terrible fluff, the next chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter Six**

Soft red light enveloped the town. The pain of Love Bug's burns faded and then disappeared. All affected victims' minds began to clear. All damage to property became a distant memory to some and a forgotten experience to others. Chat Noir blinked up at Ladybug. He was on the on the floor, she was kneeling beside him, but he couldn't recall why. The last thing he remembered was… "Did you get her?" He asked hastily, "Did we win?"

Ladybug looked relieved, and then began to chuckled. "Yeah Chaton, we did it."

Chat Noir sat up. "Pound it?" he asked.

"Pound it." She nodded. Their fists touched. And then both stood.

Chat mentally kicked himself for getting turned into a henchman yet again. Did Ladybug think him lesser for it? _She must. What kind of super hero gets caught by the bad guys over and over again? Will I be any help if or when we face Hawk Moth? He could be feet away from me and I wouldn't even know…_ Chat sighed, trying to sooth himself. There was no point in getting worked up now. They'd won, hadn't they? "So, I'll go get that kid off the roof and I'll see you next time?" Chat asked.

"OH MY GOD ADRIEN IS STILL ON THE ROOF!" Ladybug made an unladylike expression of moral panic. "I HAVE TO GET HIM! OHMYGODWHATIFHEGETSSICK? WHAT IF HE FELL?"

Chat Noir felt heat rise in his face. Ladybug showed a lot of genuine concern for him. Adrien him. Arguably the real him. Maybe she won't turn him down if he asked her on a date out of costume. Excitement and panic coursed through him. "Um… Yeah on second thought, I gotta go. Guess you better get him instead! BYE!" he semi said semi yelled. He ran into the bathroom and climbed out of that window instead, out of the sight of Ladybug. Lucky for him, it took Ladybug a few more seconds to gather her thoughts, giving him enough time to get to the roof and de-transform before she arrived.

He pretended to look surprised when the scarlet hero landed a few feet away from him. "Ladybug!" Adrien called, "How did it go? Did you beat her? Is everything back to normal?" She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by his back tracking, "I mean of course it went great. Obviously everything is back to normal and you won. Duh, you're the Ladybug. You'd never lose! Haha…" Heat rose to his face; he wasn't feeling particularly suave in this moment.

Fortunately for him, the ever beautiful though oblivious Ladybug assumed the flush was from wind exposure. She put a hand on his bare shoulder. "Adrien," she said. Her expressive sapphire eyes batted at him with the deepest concern. "I'm so sorry that you had to stay up here for so long. Let's get you inside okay?"

Electricity seemed to flow from her hand and spark its way throughout his body. "I… Thank you." He said, "For saving me that is. Maybe we _should_ continue this conversation inside." He smiled at her kindly.

Ladybug smiled. "May I?" She asked, holding out her arms.

"If you must." He teased, trying not to blush any harder. He laughed awkwardly and stepped into her embrace.

Ladybug struggled to maintain a controlled, helpful expression. _Adrien Agreste is in my arms._ She thought. _Adrien Agreste isn't wearing a shirt and he's holding me. My hands are literally touching Adrien Agreste's bare body. Code red, he has a V line. Repeat, code red. This is not a drill._ Her earrings beeped, bringing her focus back to reality. "H-hold on!" she said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her neck dutifully, and the buried his face into her neck for good measure. She smelled so good, like fresh sheets and baked goods. She also smelled like something familiar that he couldn't quite place his finger on. Thrill shot though him once more as she used her free hand to yo-yo them into the air. They soared through the Parisian sky for a few exhilarating moments before landing softly into his bedroom floor, via the window. They both hesitated a moment before finally breaking apart. Ladybug's earrings chirped again. She smiled at him and then turned to leave.

"W-wait!" He said, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder, "Before you go, there's something I have to ask you…"

Before she could answer, there was a curt knock on his door before Nathalie entered. "Mr. Agreste wished to speak to you." She said, making a bee line towards Ladybug. In her hands she held a tablet which broadcasted Gabriel Agreste's stern face.

"Ladybug." He said, by way of greeting, "Thank you for saving my son, yet again. I will see to it that he is not so careless, nor underdressed, in the future."

Adrien felt as though he would die from sheer embarrassment. A jolt of nerves sent his heart pounding. His father was displeased. _Why do I mess everything up?_ He thought.

Ladybug blinked, surprised. "Oh no!" she said, "Not at all! I certainly don't mind, and even if I did, which I don't, it certainly wasn't his fault-"

"Nathalie, that will be all." He said, cutting of Ladybug's rambling. Nathalie looked at them with the briefest expression of apology and then made her leave.

As the door closed, Ladybug's earrings beeped for the third time. She only had two minutes left. Adrien had to make a move and quickly. He swallowed the embarrassment of his father's awkward interruption. "Ladybug," he said, sounding braver than he felt. "I know that you have to go, but I really need to talk to you, it's important! Who knows when I'll get another chance!" His jade eyes were unwavering and sincere. "I know it's asking for a lot, but please stay! You can drop your transformation in my bathroom, I promise I won't look! You can recharge in there and then we can talk when you're done."

Ladybug bit her lip regretfully. "Adrien, I can't! I…" Her earrings beeped again. One minute.

He grabbed her hands, "Please Ladybug!" he said with glittering, lucky green eyes, "I promise to keep your secret safe!"

And really, how could she say no?

Adrien could hear a conversation taking place in his bathroom. Knowing that Ladybug was likely talking to her Kwami, he did his best not to eaves drop. Instead, he focused on finding himself some clothes. He wanted to look nice, but not like he was trying too hard, but defiantly nicer than usual. He settled on a gray cable knit sweater and some dark jeans. With Ladybug in the bathroom, however, he could do little to fix his bead head. He needed a hat, but which one? A beanie would fit with the outfit, but it wasn't exactly nice. He had a derby hat, but it made him sneeze. A fedora...? _No,_ he thought darkly, _Adrien Agreste is not the type of guy to wear a fedora._ He settled on the beanie. He sprayed a hint of cologne on his chest for good measure. "Okay," he sighed to himself, "I can do this. Chat Noir flirts with Ladybug every day. This will be a breeze." He almost believed it.

Marinette paced anxiously around in the large bathroom while Tikki ate her cookie. She was feeling very conflicted over this. Being Ladybug was a huge responsibility, and she felt like using it to talk to her crush was an abuse of power. But on the other hand, maybe what her had to say was totally related to Ladybug. Maybe he had important information about the akuma or the miraculous. He did have that book about them, after all. Somehow, Ladybug didn't think it was about that.

"Calm down, Marinette!" Tikki counseled. "Whatever he has to talk about, you should at least hear him out! What would Ayla say if she knew you turned down a private conversation with Adrien?"

"I know Tikki," Marinette exhaled, "But being Ladybug is a really big deal! I can't just use it for my own personal gain…"

"Of course not." Tikki agreed, "But Adrien seemed like he really needed to talk to you. It's not just about you, it about him too. You have a duty to help and protect the citizens of Paris. That doesn't stop just because you have a crush on one of them!"

"I suppose that's true…" Marinette agreed. "But what if-?"

"No more what ifs." Tikki said, "You'll only stress yourself out. Just talk to him! We can figure it out from there."

Marinette nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Tikki." She said. "Are you ready?" She asked, as Tikki finished eating.

"Are _you_?" Tikki teased with a giggle.

"As I'll ever be..." Marinette muttered. She took a deep breath. "Tikki, Spots on!" she called. The bathroom became awash with pink light.

Adrien's heart leapt in his chest as he saw a flash of pink from under the door. Should he stand to greet her? Should he sit? _What do I do?_ His mind raced. As the bathroom door opened, Adrien made the split decision to sit on the couch. Ladybug stepped shyly into his bedroom. She bit her lip anxiously. Adrein's heart seemed to stop suddenly. She was so stunning. Could he really pull this off? "L-Ladybug..." He said. "Um... sit down? If you want to." She nodded and sat a few feet away from him on his couch.

"So… Adrien," She said, trying to maintain her trademark Ladybug confidence, "You said you had to talk to me about something?"

"Yes." He said, "So um... I was thinking... about you. About, well, us… that is…"

"Us?" She asked. Color crept into her cheeks. She wasn't expecting this. She knew that Adrien followed the Ladyblog, but she assumed it was to be a good friend to Alya. Could it be that he was actually an admirer of hers? She found it hard to believe. He spent so much time around beautiful models. Countless girls around town have celebrity crushes on him. _Could her really like me?_

"The thing is, Ladybug," He said, getting a grip, "I think that you're amazing. And I'd be honored if you'd- if you would like to, um, go on a date with me, sometime?"

Ladybug's mind went blank. Heat rose to her cheeks so fast that it surprised her. Unwillingly, a smile spread its way across her face. "You want to go on a date with me?" She asked, her voice sounding small and surprised in her ears.

"Yeah." He said sincerely, "I really do."

Ladybug was at a loss for words. She'd been waiting for this moment for so long, but she couldn't date someone as Ladybug. If just talking to her crush was irresponsible, then dating him was surely a gross misuse of power. "Adrien…" She hesitated, "I'm not sure what to say…"

Adrien felt his heart fall. "It's okay," He said, "I'd totally get it if you're not interested. I'm not going to blog about you 'friend-zoning' me or anything like that…"

"No! No!" she said quickly, "It's not that at all." Her face grew redder, despite its already deep shade of pink. "Adrien," She said, taking a deep breath. "I… I really like you, and I'd love to go on a date with you. But I can't"

"You like me?" He asked, surprised, apparently not hearing the last part. "Really? Me? Wow. I… This is the best day of my life!"

"Of course I like you." She said shyly. "Aside from being a gorgeous super model, you're always so kind and sincere. Your so trust worthy and just… I... you're one of the best people I know…" she said, surprising herself even.

"Do you know me? Outside of being Ladybug, that is." Adrien asked on baited breath.

"Well," covered Ladybug, "Let's just say that I have my sources." She winked at him playfully. Adrien was over the moon. But Ladybug knew that she had to pull him back down to earth. She sighed. She couldn't believe that she was about to turn Adrien Agreste, the love of her life and human cinnamon roll, down. "But that doesn't change the fact that I can't go on a date with you." She did her best to look stern. "my job is very dangerous, if people knew that we were dating then you'd be at a huge risk!"

"So we won't go public!" He said. "We can have dates in private! I don't care, so long as I get to see you! We could even date right here, in my room! I'll deck it out super fancy and romantic! I'll have our chief make food ahead of time! It won't be very formal," he admitted, "But it could still be super fun!"

"It sounds perfect." Ladybug confessed. "But these powers that I have, they are mean that I have a responsibility to the city of Paris. I can't just use them for my own personal gain."

"I don't see why you can't do both!" Adrien retorted. "Enjoying yourself a little bit won't prevent you from saving the day when you need to! Ladybug, I know you're a fantastic hero. You've saved this city and the people in it more times than I can count. Nothing can stop or change that. Don't you think that you deserve to have a little bit of fun, too?" She was silent for a little while, still battling herself over this. Adrien understood where she was coming from, but he also knew that he was right. Going out on a limb he said, "What would Chat Noir do?"

That snapped her out of it, "Chat Noir would already be kissing you by now." She chuckled ruefully.

 _How narcissistic of him._ Adrien thought with a grin. "Well I'd understand if you wanted to save the kissing for a later time." He said, feeling bolder, "Maybe Friday night? Around 7?" He asked.

Ladybug sighed. _Is this really happening?_ "It's a date." She said, grinning in spite of herself.


End file.
